Jim Smith has challenged Portsmouth to get their promotion bandwagon back on track.

Pompey's assistant manager believes the trip to Albion could be one of their most crucial clashes of the season.

They will be looking to hit form again after losing Monday's top-of-the-table clash against Sheffield United.

Smith said: "The nature of our season is that we have always bounced back after a defeat and that's what we've got to do again.

"It's going to be a really difficult game at Brighton, they are playing really well at the moment and are fighting for their lives.

"It's going to be different to our last couple of games but, if we play as well as we did on Monday, I've no doubt that we'll beat Brighton.

"We've got three massive games coming up against Brighton, Grimsby and Derby. On paper they look like three winnable games and win them is what we've got to do."

Pompey have come in for criticism from some fans for Monday's defeat.

Smith said: "The performance was as well as we have played for a while, but we didn't put the ball in the back of the net.

"In the second half we battered them but we didn't get the breaks. Earlier in the season we were getting those breaks. If we keep playing like we did then we'll be okay."